


Then Love Knew It Was Called Love

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Deaf Character, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Keith/Lance (Voltron), Eventual Romance, F/M, Farmer Lance (Voltron), Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hunk (Voltron) is a Good Friend, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, Japanese Shiro (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Adoptive Siblings, Korean Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), POV Keith (Voltron), Pansexual Lance (Voltron), Romance, Single Parent Lance (Voltron), Slow Burn, Snowed In, Strangers to Lovers, Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, Wedding Planning, Writer Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:24:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21975799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: After a spell of writer's block, Keith Kogane, an indie author, returns to his small hometown for the holidays. There, he meets Lance McClain, a single father and farmer. Over the next three weeks, between a snowstorm, a wedding, and a small town adventure, the two men grow closer, and, as Keith's trip home draws to an end, he realizes that he found more than just the creative muse he was so desperately searching for.
Relationships: Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron), Matt Holt/Shiro
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

It was a quarter past four in the afternoon, and Keith had been staring at his computer for at least an hour. In that time, he hadn’t managed to even come up with a working title, much less an outline or draft. He leaned back in his desk chair, breathing out an exasperated sigh as he gathered his hair and pulled it into a ponytail. With his level of frustration, the constant tickle of the inky strands on his neck was beyond irritating. A half empty bottle of Jim Beam sat to his left beside a glass of melting ice, and, at his feet, Kosmo napped, oblivious to his owner’s vexation.

Keith wasn’t a bad writer. No, with a successful fantasy trilogy and a host of published short stories and poems, he was a very determined writer to say the least. But, it had been months since he published his latest book, and he hadn’t had even the inkling of an idea since.

It was as if all of his creative energy had vanished.

Kosmo’s ear flicked, and he lifted his head, resting it against Keith’s calf. The man reached down and rubbed him behind the ears with another sigh. “Another fruitless day.”

Kosmo tilted his head, blinking. Great. Not only was Keith lacking creative energy, but he was going insane - talking to a dog and expecting it to respond. He rubbed his face, closing his laptop and collapsing in his chair. 

In his pocket, Keith’s phone began to ring out, some generic ringtone that he hadn’t bothered changing playing. He fished the noisy device out of his pocket, not bothering to check the caller ID before answering. “Hello?”

“Hey, Keith!” It was his brother, Shiro. Engaged and successful with both a beautiful house and coffee shop in their hometown, Shiro was someone that Keith always looked up to, and, no matter his mood, a phone call was always welcomed. In fact, that might just boost his sour mood.

“Hey, Shiro,” he said, scratching Kosmo’s chin as the dog stood up. “What’s up?”

There was a loud clattering in the background that Keith recognized as the hustle and bustle of the coffee shop. Shiro laughed. “Oh, you know, the usual. December is our busiest month. Everyone misses your kick ass gingerbread skills, by the way.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Keith hadn’t baked in months, but the sudden mention of gingerbread made his stomach rumble. “Maybe I’ll make some when I come down for your wedding.”

“You should! Matt hasn’t had the chance to taste them yet.” 

Matt Holt was Shiro’s fiance and partner of two and a half years. Keith had only met him a few times, but the fellow seemed nice, though a bit eccentric. His conversations consisted of technical jargon and long-winded rambles about the advancements in technology that left Keith exhausted. Shiro never seemed to mind, though, hanging onto every word from the boy’s mouth with an eager adoration. 

It was both sickening and precious.

Keith offered a small laugh to fill the silence. “Yeah, maybe.”

“So,” Shiro began, only to be interrupted by someone talking. There was some muffled whispering before the man returned, speaking as if nothing had happened. It was most likely nothing more than a complex order or a special request. “When are you coming down? Cedar Falls isn’t the same without you!”

Holding his phone between his shoulder and his ear, Keith flipped through his calendar, humming. “Well, I had planned to come down around the 18th. That is, if I can ever get anywhere with this damn book.” He huffed. “I swear, I’ve never had this much trouble.”

“Well, maybe you just need a break. When was the last time that you got out of that apartment anyway?”

“I walk Kosmo every day, thank you very much.”

Shiro laughed, hearty and warm. “You know what I mean! Unless you’re walking Kosmo or buying the bare necessities, you never get out. Tell you what, why don’t you come down here tomorrow? Get away from the city, take a break - we can catch up, just like old times.” Then, softer, “You’re overworking yourself.”

Keith gnawed his bottom lip, swirling in his chair to face his apartment. Dull and unbearably boring, he had to agree: the awful place probably wasn’t helping his creative mood. Still, over three weeks away? He supposed that he could get the landlord to check in once a week or so, and it wasn’t like he had a day job to attend to. Maybe a few weeks back in his hometown would do him some good. Get back to his roots and all that poetic jazz.

It was tempting, but there were a few things he had to make sure of. “I can stay in your spare room?”

“Mhm.”

“And I don’t have to do the dirty work at the shop?”

Another laugh. “Nope! We have Matt for that.”

Keith glanced around his room again, patting Kosmo. The wolf-husky mix was looking up at him, striking blue eyes sleepy. He would enjoy the countryside, Keith thought, much more than the city. With a tentative sigh, Keith relented: “Alright, fine. I’ll pack tonight and be there first thing tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yes!” Shiro cheered, and Keith could practically see the older man’s bright smile. “I’ll set the room up for you tonight. Now, I better get back to work, but I’ll see you soon! Later, Keith!”

Keith hung up, tossing his phone back onto his desk. Kosmo tilted his head, confused, so Keith leaned down, explaining in a baby voice, “We’re going to go see Uncle Shiro and Uncle Matt! Are you excited? Who’s excited?”

Kosmo yipped, nudging and licking Keith’s hands, and the man laughed. Over three weeks in his hometown - no worries, no obligations, just quality time with his brother and brother-in-law. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith arrives in Cedar Falls.

Arriving in Cedar Falls, Keith, hit by a wave of nostalgia, felt as if he had never left. Pulling into the snowy town, he was greeted by the same aged wooden sign that proudly displayed the name of the small town, though the white paint of the letters had long began to fade. The trees, evergreens, were just as bright and tall. And Shiro’s coffee shop, with its bright exterior and twinkling Christmas decorations, was as eye-catching and flamboyant as ever. The exact opposite of the owner, Keith thought with a smirk as he pulled into the closest parking spot. Despite the small town not boasting a large population, it seemed that Shiro’s shop,  _ The Lion’s Den _ , was always busy, and parking was limited. This time, though, he was lucky enough to get a front spot.

Kosmo forced his head out of the window, tongue lolling out his mouth as he took in all the new smells. Keith chuckled, patting the dog’s hide as he asked, “If I bring you in, do you promise to be a good boy?”

His question was met with an enthusiastic yip, and, satisfied with the answer, Keith grabbed the dog’s leash and stepped out of the car. Walking around, he opened the door and leashed Kosmo before stepping aside. As soon as his furry paws hit the ground, Kosmo had his nose to the ground, tail wagging slowly. When he looked back up at Keith, his snout was covered in snow, which Keith brushed off with a laugh. 

“Come on, silly boy. Let’s go see your uncles.” He pulled the dog along, stepping into the coffee shop and immediately melting as the welcomed mixture of heat and baked goods hit him. Kosmo pranced in place, tail wagging as he garnered the attention from some of the patrons.

“How cute!”

“Who’s a good boy?”

A chorus of similar exclamations followed Keith and Kosmo as they maneuvered through the crowded shop. After a moment, they made their way to the counter. Keith sat down on one of the bar stools as Kosmo plopped down at his feet, content with napping.

“Hello, what can I-oh! Keith!” Matt nearly dropped the mug he was cleaning as he turned out, face brightening as soon as he locked eyes with the younger man. “You’re here sooner than I expected! Did the drive treat you well?”

“As well as a four hour drive can treat me,” Keith said, letting a small laugh slip. It was true, though. He was getting older every day, and his bones, vexed and tired, couldn’t hold their own against hours in the car like they could when he was in his 20s. 32 had hit him hard. Still, never one to complain, he offered an easy smile. “You guys sure are busy.”

“We always are, though I’m sure we’d be busier with some of your famous gingerbread - which I still haven’t gotten a taste of yet.”

Keith tilted his head back, laughing. Kosmo lifted his head, wanting to join in on the fun, but soon went back to resting. 

“Matt! Have you seen the cinnamon?” A waifish teen appeared around the corner, fixing her glasses. With her short hair and wide honey eyes, she was identical to Matt save for the splattering of flour decorating her freckled cheeks. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Keith. “You’re new around here.”

“Katie, this is Keith, Shiro’s younger brother.”

The girl gave a vulpine grin, sticking out a dirty hand. “Hiya! Don’t listen to that dweeb. Call me Pidge.”

Gingerly, Keith shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Pidge.”

“I’ll go get Shiro for you,” Matt said, setting down the mug. Then, to Pidge he said, “Try not to scare anymore customers off while I’m gone, would you?”

“Whatever, old man.”

As Matt walked away, Pidge made herself comfortable on the bar stool beside Keith. Kosmo sat up, and she rubbed his head, cooing. After a second of spoiling the pup, her eyes flitted to Keith. “So, you’re the famous Keith Kogane. Shiro talks a lot about you.”

“All good, I hope.”

“Mostly.”

Keith cracked a smile. “How old are you, kid?”

“Turning 16 in April. Not much of a kid.” She stuck her hand into the jar of peppermints meant for customers and pulled out two, leaving the trash on the bar as she popped both into her mouth at once. With swollen cheeks added to her description, she was beginning to embody the word ‘comical’. 

Muffling a snicker, Keith, motioning to his face, said, “You have a little…”

“Awh, dammit,” she whined, using the tail of her apron to wipe her face. “That’s why I told Matt I don’t like working here. Always making a mess.”

Keith craned his neck, wondering what was taking Matt and Shiro so long. An impromptu rendezvous is the walk-in fridge most likely. “Well, what would you rather be doing?”

Behind her large, wire-framed (clear?) glasses, there was a glint in Pidge’s eyes. “Working on my computer.”

And that was when Keith realized all the Holts were identical in both appearance and personality. Terrifying. “That’s neat.”

Shiro, with a flushed Matt attached to his hip, chose that moment to come around the bend, smiling ear to ear. “Keith! Glad to see you made it alright!” He leaned against the bar, resting his head on his prosthetic arm. He had lost his own arm the same car accident that had resulted in the death of his parents when he was 12 years old - a year before he got adopted by the same family that took Keith in. “You must be exhausted. Matt, will you fix him some coffee please?”

“Sure thing, honey.”

After thanking his fiance, Shiro turned back to Keith, still all smiles. “I’m really glad you could come down early.”

“Me too,” Keith said, take the hot coffee from Matt with a thankful grin. “Kosmo is already loving it here.”

As if to prove his owner’s point, Kosmo, who had been busy leaning in Pidge’s lap, licking her face, turned his head towards Shiro with a wolfish smile. It was the happiest the large dog, who was normally content to slumping against the floor for hours on end, had been for a while.

“You’ll have to take him by the McClain farm at some point. He’d love that,” Pidge said. “I’m friends with Mr. McClain’s son, so I’m sure I could get you over there.”

A farm, huh? That was new. 

Keith only nodded, sipping at his coffee. It scalded his throat, but, after years of drinking hard liquor, the burn was welcomed. It kept his belly warm and his spirits high, so he wouldn’t complain. Shiro was right: he was exhausted. Jittery and excited, he hadn’t managed to fall asleep the night prior.

“The coffee is great,” Keith said after a second. “Thank you.”

“Anything for my best man.” Shiro grinned. He fished through his pockets and pulled out a key, passing over to Keith. “I got a spare made for you, so if you want to head on over and get settled, you can. Matt and I will be home around five this evening.”

Keith slipped the key into his pocket, making a mental note to add it to his key ring later before he lost it. It wouldn’t be the first time. “Closing early?”

“Just three hours. We’d like to get home in time to actually catch up with you.” Shiro laughed, slinging his arm around Matt’s shoulders. They were the perfect pair. “I’m sure the town can go without its late night coffee for one night.”

“You never know,” Keith teased. “You may just start a riot.” Then, rubbing Kosmo’s head: “You ready to go home, buddy?”

Kosmo seemed to pout but didn’t whine or complain. While he loved the attention, they both knew it was time for a potty break anyway. 

“Alright, well I’m going to go get unpacked. I’ll catch up with you all later.” He nodded at Pidge. “It was nice to meet you.”

Then, with a final smile and Kosmo on his heel, Keith left the coffee shop, both anticipating and dreading unpacking.


End file.
